Are Construction Workers' Comfort Overlooked? The Case for A/C on Labor Buses

Dear Fellow Professionals,

Plying between Sharjah and Dubai (Jebel Ali), especially on Emirates Road and Jebel Ali Lehbab Road - Most of the buses carry labor workforce between 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Each bus will have company names of major players in the construction industry.

I often think, when they take so much pride in putting their company logo and name on the vehicle with such pride as an announcement, why don't they install A/Cs in these buses? I see this valued workforce, the majority of them looking out of the windows with their exhausted and pale faces, eyeing every view they can capture in that journey of one and a half or two hours till their camp.

Especially when the coming months will take their toll and the mercury rising higher and higher, will these folks be plying in a similar manner?

Aren't the HR department responsible for this segment of the workforce? Doesn't this come under employee welfare/wellness? Or are A/Cs still considered a luxury and not a necessity?

Any comments?

Sajid Rasheed

Hi Sajid,

That's a perfectly valid question, and I agree with you. Is there a link between the construction company office/HR and the actual workers on the site, aside from giving them pay? I think the issue that you have raised will be addressed only when that vital link is very strong. This is just an 'outsider' opinion.

Geetha

Dear Sajid,

This is one issue that has come up in news columns here recently. There are several anomalies happening related to the facilities provided to the labor class. However, the time has changed, and the work environment is changing along with the hot summer. In one way, when you see them going back home in a non-a/c bus, it looks okay for me as, first of all, a/c cooling may not be sufficient to cater to 40 or 50 passengers in those old buses. Second, most of them are working in the hot and humid external environment. If they travel suddenly in an a/c bus, it will have a diverse effect for many of them. More than the buses, there are several other pressing issues that need to be addressed - like providing basic facilities, payment of salary at the right time, camp facilities, food, and finally basic uniform and protective clothing according to the nature of work. How often do you see these items are taken care of?

In one way, after the newly laid control measures by our government, the flow of laborers to the Middle East has reduced considerably. It is the responsibility of the key HR/ADMIN staff to take care of them, meet their basic requirements, monitor financial activities, control debt/cash/salary handling measures, etc., to cut down the calamities happening due to these reasons.

Thank you for bringing this topic on board.

Regards,

Ramesh Menon

Please have some words on task specialization. I need to write an assignment, so I need help with this.

Hi,

I've noticed this too while traveling from Jebel Ali. Ramesh has brought up some valid points. I've come across instances where the final decision rests with the management or board of directors. Many a time, it gets fizzled out once it has reached that stage. The HR makes a proposal, gets all the data, makes a survey, and then when we bring this out to the management, they come up with rising costs and extra expenditure, and so on and so forth.

It gets pretty annoying, and then the workers think that you're not doing anything for them. It's like you have to maintain a balance between the management and the laborers. As far as I see, it's more towards the management and less to the employees.

With the government bringing in various rules that are becoming favorable to the workers, I'm a bit positive that in time to come, workers too might get some relief in some form or the other.

Hi friends,

Thank you for this useful post because it should generate a healthy and useful discussion, which can and should concern all HR professionals. There is a tendency to treat the labor force in a degrading way, especially when labor migrates from one country to another, and when contractors or companies know that they are unorganized or laborers do not have any other option and the supply is abundant. It is the role of HR to look beyond the balance sheet and convince the management that laborers have to be kept happy and healthy for the long-term benefit of the company. I feel HR has a greater responsibility towards the labor force than towards the management. In fact, they must earn so much trust from all employees that the need for a union is not felt. The ethical standards of HR professionals must be as high as those of top-tier doctors. In this particular case, there is a definite requirement to make laborers comfortable by providing air-conditioned buses; it will significantly increase their output and foster loyalty towards the company. Thank you for the post.

Col Virendra

Dear Col Virendra,

The problem here does not end with providing an air-conditioned transport to the camp from the work site where these workers stay. Imagine a worker working on-site from 5:00 or 6:00 am early morning (to compensate for the noon break, which is very strict now) and then taking forced rest near the work site (again in shades, partial shades, or even under the hot sun) for almost 3-4 hours and then working till 6 pm or 7 pm. Do you think a 20 or 30 minutes in an A/C bus ride will give him relief? I am pretty sure it will have an adverse effect on his body, which is exposed to 50+ degrees sun during the whole day. I would like to see HR interfering in more pressing matters such as prompt payment of salary, control of monetary dealings, interference of sundry loan agents in the camps, influence of Kuri or minor loans by private parties in the camps for heavy interest, availability of illicit alcohol, etc., in the camps. These are some of the items I am sure are happening around.

Another factor is awareness of safety issues. Many times, due to traffic congestion or other reasons, the buses plying between one site to another, one camp to the site, are required to be driven at maximum speed by its drivers. A closer look at the Emirates Road accident history will prove this statement, or a drive through this road during the early morning hours will make you believe this. I have seen as early as 6:00 am with even less than 20m visibility, drivers of mini-buses and 45-seaters driving at speeds beyond 120 km/h. They are familiar with the route because of their daily runs and so leave it to their destiny and push the pedals. It is, therefore, a major factor for the HR department of these construction companies, and the duty of the Admin/Transport coordinator to control the driving habits, ease the pressures on these poor drivers, and teach them to follow the rules. It is for the safety of the workers whom they are carrying to reach work/home safely.

It will also be a good idea to put the mobile numbers of the transport coordinators on these buses/vehicles so as to inform the public/drivers following these vehicles if they are driving dangerously to inform the company/coordinator.

There are several other factors. But the government is slowly watching and controlling these issues, and as duty-abiding expatriates, we have to remain within the limits of the laws of this country.

It doesn't mean the HR department of these companies do not have any responsibilities for the safety/well-being of its employees.

Sincere regards,

Ramesh Menon

August 2008, peak summers in the Gulf. I thought maybe during peak summers these buses will have A/Cs, but alas! It was just a thought. Practically, I still see the same buses on the same route plying in the same manner.

Wish, one day we could really give HR its real meaning.

Thanks, guys, for your responses. It was superb.

Cheers, Sajid